Chapter 127: Bright Brilliant Blade Sect Master Moves
Far in the distance, the massive wave of acidic water continued to surge forward, tearing through everything in its path.
Thousands upon thousands of Demonic Beasts, Demons, and cultivators were being swallowed whole. Once engulfed by the wave, they struggled desperately—but the force was far too powerful. Their bodies were pinned down, their strength meaningless against the overwhelming tide.
The acidic water seeped into their flesh, burning through skin and scale alike. Many tried to scream, but their mouths and nostrils filled with acid before they could utter a sound. They drowned, melted, and died in silence.
"Stay where you are, Key Holder."
The muffled, booming, demonic voice echoed once more—so loud it seemed to shatter the air itself.
A wave of pure terror swept through the battlefield.
"Ahh—¡Cállate! That voice sounds like death itself!"
Ramiro growled, his face twisted in a mixture of fear and fury.
"Damn it! This is bad! We must retreat immediately—overdraft the barrier magics and survival formations!"
A warrior from the Aka Boshi no Tengan clan shouted in panic.
Elton was frozen for a moment—panic surging through every fiber of his being.
The voice. That demonic voice… Why did it feel like it was speaking directly to him?
He wasn't even close to reaching the Mortal Shedding Realm, much less capable of provoking such a powerful entity. And yet… he felt targeted. Something ancient had set its sights on him.
Meanwhile, the acidic rain continued to pour down harder, each droplet sizzling on armor and skin, further slowing their progress. Cries of terror echoed across the land. Countless cultivators unleashed attacks, erected barriers, or even performed sacrificial techniques to hold back the wave—but to no avail.
Despite their desperate efforts, the acidic tide continued its unstoppable march.
Thunder rumbled through the skies. Quakes rattled the land. Bodies fell, crushed or melted. The howling winds howled like beasts of war.
And then the voice rang out again, more forceful, more invasive:
"I TOLD YOU TO STAY, KEY HOLDER!!"
The world itself seemed to tremble at the command. The air grew heavier. The minds of those nearby cracked under the pressure. Many dropped to their knees in agony.
At that moment, Elton's inner voice surged forward, taking control.
A dangerous glint shone in his eyes.
Beside him, Zoro transformed—his skin turning bronze as he entered his Devil Lord Form, eyes burning with feral desperation.
"No!! Gege! Big Brother Zoro—don't!! We have to keep running!"
Christy screamed, panic gripping her face as she paled with dread.
"Hahaha! Worry not, my cute little girl."
Elton grinned, madness flashing in his eyes.
"Help is on the way anyway. So why not gamble everything in this life-and-death clash?! Do you dare to bet, too?"
"Brother Elly!! Wherever you go, I'll go—no matter what!"
Shayleaf cried, clinging tightly to his arm. She refused to let go.
Around them, many continued running—but some slowed, shocked by what they were witnessing.
The warriors from the Aka Boshi no Tengan, Soloman, and Leon Clans came to a halt, staring at Elton, Zoro, and their companions in disbelief.
Even within the Fae Grand Spirit Alliance, only the Fanged Elf Tribe stopped, standing beside their kin.
"Wh-Wh-What the hell are you guys doing?!"
An expert from the Soloman Clan shouted.
"Ramiro!! What the fuck?! Why did you stop?!"
A Leon Clan elite barked in disbelief.
"Hahaha! Where's the fun in running?"
Ramiro laughed, twirling his spear defiantly.
"If my buddy Elton and this idiot Zoro stop, how could I keep running? And hey, a life-and-death gamble sounds pretty exciting. We're already at the edge of the wave anyway!"
Behind him, the Lion's Spearheart members also stopped—choosing to follow him into madness. Even Princess Helga, trembling from head to toe, did not flee.
"This Princess… will stake her life."
Amberleaf forced a shaky laugh, glancing at Elton.
"Heh… you'd better take responsibility, Brother Elton…"
"I will always be by your side, El Onyem… even in death."
Erica said calmly, her expression soft and unwavering.
In the face of imminent annihilation, this insane group—
stood still.
And they smiled.
The Soloman clan trembled upon hearing Elton's defiant declaration. Among them, Erica's father, who had rushed forward in a panic to snatch his daughter away, came to an abrupt halt—his body frozen, his expression a storm of conflict.
Not far away, Christy's father and mother stood helplessly. Desperation etched their features, but when they saw the unyielding resolve in their daughter's eyes—never once looking away from Elton—they sighed deeply. With heavy hearts, they prepared themselves to lay down their lives if it meant giving this next generation a chance to survive.
As for the Black Reaper Corps under Zoro, they had long since accepted the possibility of death. They had been prepared to die even before Zoro rescued them—how could they falter now? In their eyes, they owed everything to him, to Kageha, and to Kuroha. No matter what came, they would follow to the end.
The rest of White Star Radiance likewise made their resolutions. There was no escaping the wave now. No one deluded themselves otherwise.
If death was coming, then they would place their faith in Elton's plan and gamble everything.
"Execute the spiritual linking formation! Make me the target!
The wave will be here in seven seconds. I'll gamble our lives in **four!! GO!!"
Elton roared—his voice filled with unshakable arrogance, but also absolute determination.
"Haaaaah!!"
"Horaaaaah!!"
"Take it!!"
"Gambling with our lives, huh? Hahaha… What an interesting boy!"
The formation ignited instantly.
Elton's Heavenly Star Destroyer Sword erupted with brilliant light. Vast, thundering star projections flared outward, painting the earth and sky in radiant arcs. Within just four seconds, a massive and growing Sword Dome formed—its core humming with unstable, raw power. Thousands of cultivators pushed their ki and magic into the formation through Elton, feeding it all they had.
5 seconds:
The dome stabilized—barely. The beast-like maw of the acidic wave loomed just ahead, enormous and unstoppable.
6 seconds:
Winds and rain slammed the dome's surface. The acidic downpour distorted the light of the barrier. Those who had fled earlier could feel the wave closing in, dread surging in their hearts.
7 seconds:
Impact.
A deafening collision shook the heavens. The massive acidic wave engulfed the barrier with brutal force. A tsunami of death and destruction rushed forward, continuing to swallow the land beyond.
8 seconds:
The Sword Dome held—but just barely.
10 seconds:
Cracks appeared across its surface. Inside, the cultivators were hurled violently, tumbling within the barrier, but held together by its force.
13 seconds:
The barrier flickered with instability.
Wails of despair echoed across the land—both from those within and outside the dome.
16 seconds:
Elton could feel it.
The wave's force was beginning to wane, but the barrier was also at its absolute limit.
Even now, death loomed near.
He clenched his jaw, preparing himself.
But then...
A razor-sharp ki erupted through the atmosphere. The earth quaked, and for just a moment, the skies above parted.
In a flash, the monstrous wave of acidic water was cleaved in two—split cleanly down the middle by an invisible, godlike force.
The enormous pressure vanished. The acidic water began to evaporate, the rain thinning, the winds calming.
From afar, standing amidst the aftermath of a fierce battle, a man emerged—regal, composed, clad in the robes of a supreme expert. Behind him stood an army of injured but breathing warriors—disciples and elders of the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect.
Atop his head, a crown of four white and gold swords—front, back, and each side—rested with quiet power. His gaze was calm, yet terrible in its weight.
He was none other than the Sect Master of the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect.
"...To think someone from that place dares to move so boldly…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"The war here is over. We begin preparations for a full on invasion into that land! If they look down on us, then we will show them what true retaliation looks like."
"Yes, Sect Master!!"
A sea of voices cried out, filled with reverence and determination.
This cataclysmic intervention, while it did not end the war, brought about a ceasefire that would soon be accepted by all four nations and their allied sects connected to the Stone Forest. No side had escaped unscathed, and for now, survival came before conquest.
But in time, these events would give rise to a new storm.
A similarly bloody war, not born of desperation, but of vengeance.
That, however…
is a story for another time.